British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is set to face former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in a boxing match.
The planned bout was announced on Friday by promotional teams Matchroom and Queensberry and a press conference has been scheduled for January 15 to reveal more details of the fight.
Tonight we confirm it’s a Done Deal! @anthonyjoshua v @francis_ngannou collide on a huge night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – press conference Jan 15 in London with full details dropping soon! #JoshuaNgannou @Turki_alalshikh @MatchroomBoxing @Queensberry #RiyadhSeason 🇸🇦
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) January 5, 2024
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
2023 was the year of the comeback for Anthony Joshua. After back-to-back losses to WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight title holder Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, Joshua went on to beat Jermaine Franklin in April of last year via unanimous decision. In August, he brutally knocked out Robert Helenius in front of a home crowd in London before stopping Otto Wallin in the fifth round of their bout in Saudi Arabia at the end of the year.
Plans for Joshua to fight Deontay Wilder after the Wallin bout were scrapped as Wilder was defeated by New Zealand’s Joseph Parker on the very same card.
Back in March 2021, MMA star Francis Ngannou beat Stipe Miocic to win the UFC heavyweight title. He defended the belt against Ciryl Gane in January 2022 before a contract dispute with the UFC led to Ngannou signing with the Professional Fighters League instead. His contract with the PFL meant that the Cameroonian-French fighter had the freedom to compete in the boxing ring.
To the amazement of the combat sports world, Ngannou secured a lucrative fight with the WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. He was given little to no chance by fans, pundits and fighters alike, but in astonishing fashion, Ngannou almost engineered one of the biggest upsets in boxing history by taking one of the greatest heavyweights of our generation all the way to a contentious split decision.
He ultimately lost on the judges scorecards, even after knocking Fury down in the third round with a big left hook, but many believed Ngannou won the fight. His valiant performance has earned him the reward of another big money fight with another big name in Anthony Joshua.
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR JOSHUA
The fight announcement came as a shock to most, but as the dust settles, it appears to make sense. Joshua made it clear in his post-fight press conference after his victory over Wallin that he is at a stage where fighting anyone at any time isn’t an issue for him. It’s a risk for AJ, but one that is worth taking right now to increase his chances of returning to the summit of the sport. He also mentioned that the Wilder fight may still be an option in the future.
The matchup with Ngannou will be more than a money fight for Joshua. After seeing Fury barely make it past the MMA fighter, he will see this as a massive opportunity to continue his comeback. Joshua will not underestimate Ngannou and look to do what Fury could not in emphatic fashion. In terms of optics, mentality and career trajectory, a win for Joshua will be hugely significant.
The Saudi boxing takeover continues.